Christmas season is almost upon us. For those four or so weeks after Thanksgiving, those cold weeks of December hold a time of merriment and joy, filled with family meals, holiday cookies and endless trips to the mall. Sadly, as this season is creeping into a majority of November, here are a few signs that Christmas season is encroaching earlier than you expected.

1. The department stores already have their Christmas decorations out (and have had them out for months now).

It’s one thing to be advertising about layaway programs, but to already be selling Christmas trees and fake snow? It’s just too soon. Sure, Halloween is over and Thanksgiving is right around the corner, but it is nowhere near time to be pulling out the Christmas decorations and singing “Deck the Halls” while wandering up and down the aisles of Target. Even though the department stores would have you believe that Christmas season is already here and is old news, it’s not quite that time of year yet.

2. Your neighbor already has Christmas decorations out.

This includes, but is not limited to: a Christmas tree in the front window, wreaths on the door, and a blow-up penguin on the front lawn. Don’t get me wrong, these are perfectly acceptable decorations—they're just not something I want my family to see when they come over for Thanksgiving dinner.

3. You’re already hearing Christmas music on the radio.

It’s just too early. Nobody wants to sing about it being cold and snowing when it’s 60 degrees and raining. At least wait until Thanksgiving to begin blasting our holiday favorites. Besides, won’t you be sick of them by the time December 25th rolls around?

Don't get me wrong Mariah, while I love this song, I'd love it a whole lot more if I only heard it in December.

4. You’re already getting invited to Christmas-themed parties.

Look, I get the fact that we are not in school for the majority of December. However, throwing a tacky sweater party two weeks before Thanksgiving is just too much. By the time New Year’s comes around, that festive party will be long forgotten.

5. The week before Christmas, you're pretty sure you've already gained ten pounds just from all of Grandma's desserts.

You then try to use that extra energy from the sugar high and lose just a little bit of that weight.

(Sadly, it's always easier said than done.)

Though the Christmas season may be here faster than you expect, enjoy it. Come December 26, you’ll wish you had enjoyed that second cup of eggnog and sung every Christmas carol that you heard on the radio. Though celebrating too early can be annoying, celebrating too late can be even worse. So when it does come (preferably the day after Thanksgiving), enjoy every second of this magical season.